Container closure



May 13,- 1941. o, w w z CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed March 1, 1937 s Shuts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 0504/2 W Wwrz BY.

ATTORNEY May 13, 1941. o. w. WENTZ 2,241,835

couumm CLOSURE Filed larch '1', 1937' 3 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR OSCAR M M ENTZ.

ATTOR NEY May 13, 1941. o. w. WENTZ 2,241,835

' CONTAINER CLOSURE I Filed March 1, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l mvnrroa ,1" 23 0mm M WE/vrz ATTORNEY Patented May 13, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,241,835 commas CLOSURE Oscar W. Wentz, Long Island City, N. Y. Application March 1, 1937, Serial No. 128,350

16 Claims.

easily and inexpensively related to the container itself and easily manipulated into closure-maintaining or closure-releasing relationship. Another obiect is to provide a device of the abovementioned character for dependably achieving a semi-permanent seal or closure of the container and capable of easy manipulation for subsequent closing and opening operations upon the container closure. Another object is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character that will be capable of ease, convenience and speed of manual manipulation into and out of closureretaining relationship. 'Another object is to provide a dependable and inexpensive device of the above-mentioned character that will be well adapted to meet certain peculiar and varying conditions of practical use. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplifled in the structure to be hereinafter'described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown several of the various possible embodimerits of my invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative form of container capable of having its open end,

folded into closing relationship, and having related thereto one form of a closure-retaining device; I

Figure 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, as seen along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a possible form of folding of the end of the container and the relationship thereto of the retaining device;

Figure 4 is a perspective view like that of Figure 3 but showing the parts in a succeeding stage of effecting the closure;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, as seen along the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view as seen from the rear of Figure 4, showing the parts in a sucper portion typifying ceedlng stage;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the same as seen from the other side;

Figure 8 is ,a sectional view on an enlarged scale, as seen along the line 88 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, as seen along the line 9-9 of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a perspective view like that of Figure 6 showing a modified form of retaining device, and

Figure. 11 is a development showing how the two forms of devices may be stamped out of sheet metal.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of this invention, it may at this point be noted that in certain fields of commercial use of containers, particularly liquidproof or liquid-carrying containers, various attempts have been made to provide closure-r e taining devices for holding the folds or folded portions of the container end in closing or sealing position, but a major difficulty with such prior devices is that they are incapable of being readily and conveniently released and replaced or restored, as is necessary when the contents of the container is only partially withdrawn. One

capable of quick and easy manual manipulation to eifect and retain the closure as, for example, when a container is filled with a liquid or other product, as in an over-the-counter sale, and which may be easily manipulated manually by, for example, the householder or purchaser to release it for opening the container to withdraw some of its contents and thereupon easily restore it.

In Figure 1 there is generally indicated at 20 a container or package illustratively for containing liquids, such as milk, and provided with upper portions preferably bearing fold or crease lines along which a folding together, illustratively and preferably into a straight-linerelationship, may be achieved of the upper edges of the container structure to efiect a closure; in Figure 1 the'container 20 is shown with an upone of various ways in which such a folding operation may be effected to close the upper end of the container. The various fold lines are clearly shown in'Figure 1 greater than be noted that the upper end two preferably symmetrical and opposed substantially rectangular panels 2| and 22 joined by opposed pairs of irregularly shaped panels 23-24 and 25-26, the latter, illustratively, swinging inwardly in between the opposed panels 2|, 22 as the latter likewise swing inwardly to bring them, as indicated in Figure 3, into a straight line relationship.

The panel 2|, however, preferably extends upwardly to a greater extent than the panel 22, having, therefore, what will be termed an upper transversely extending flap 21, better shown in Figure 2. To the panel 2|, as by its flap 21, is secured the closure-retaining device generally indicated at 28 and made preferably of a suitable sheet material that is relatively easily bendable but rigid enough to retain the shape into which it or its parts are bent and to withstand appro priately such forces or stresses as might be imposed upon it in the usual functioning of the container; preferably it is made of a suitable sheet metal.

The device 28 has a main body portion 29 which is adapted to rest against the outer face of the flap 21 to which it is secured in any suitable manner, preferably by means of a flange-like extension 30 which, with the main body portion 28, gives that much of the device 28 a U-shaped cross-section, flange 30 extending over to the rear face of the flap 21. The parts 25-40- are suitably-pressed toward each other, preferably mechanism operating in the course by a suitable of the manufacture of the container 20, and thus flap 21 is securely clamped therebetween and the device 28 dependably secured to, the container.

Preferably, and for the purpose of meeting certain conditions met with in practice, as-later pointed out, there is interposed between the rear the clamping flange 3|) face of the panel2| and a member 3| .which. in horizontal extent, as viewed in Figures 1 and 3 inFigure 3, is substantially equal to or slightly the horizontal dimension'of the upper end of the panel 2| and which in vertical I dimension is sufficient to extend downwardly along the rear face of the panel 2| to an 'appropriate extent. Member 23 is preferably put in place at the same time that .the device 28 is clamped to the flap 21 as above described, the parts 29 and 30, where the device 3| is employed, thus also clamping the part 3| in place. Part 3| is a gasket and is made of any suitable or appropriate material, illustratively relatively thick loosely-textured paper, something like blotting paper, cloth,-felt, or like fibrous material, rubber or the like.

- Extending downwardly, as viewed'in Figure 1, from the main body portion 29 of the device 28, is a suitable number of horizontally spaced tongues, illustratively three, as shown in Figure and by comparison of the showing'of Figure 1 and as is better shown portion 29 and flange extension 20, are integral I and hence may be made from a single sheet.

Preferably, the tongues as the above-mentioned tongues 32, 33, 24, 35

and 26,-are covered .with a suitable material,

- as by .coating. the. latter thereon where the materialjis,asisf-preferred, intheform of a lac-- quer, paint, rubber, enamel, or the like, which is initially in liquid form and which is solidified in any suitable way after application. Thus, where a liquid coating is employed, the device 28 may be dipped intothe liquid completely or only to a sufllcient extent to coat the tongues, as in the preferred embodiment, the coating being indicated at C in the cation having been completed solidification is achieved in any manner appropriate to the material employed. Thus, if it is a lacquer, paint, enamel, or the like, the material dries out and thus solidifies. Or, if necessary, heat treatment may be employed. Furthermore, the covering may be given any desired color which may or may not be contrasted as desired with the color of the material of the container itself. Also, where the device 28 is of sheet metal and is in the form of a stamping or punching, the covering C, particularly where it is applied in liquid form, as above set forth, covers over and encases any sharp edges that may result from the cutting of the sheet material of the device 28 and thus the parts, particularly the tongues which are capable of being manually manipulated, .as is later described, present to the fingers of the hand no sharp or other cutting edges. The structural features by which such advantages as those above noted are achieved are clearly indicated in the sectional view of Figures ".2,'5, a and 9.

It is in the form. thus described and as shown in Figure 1 that the container with the retaining device, with or. without the gasket 3|, is fur- ,nished to the dispenser or retailer, by way of 11'- .lustration, of liquids or other products. As

" needed, the retailer ans the container 2|) with the product desired by his customer, the upper end being open for that purpose much in the 1 at 32, 33 and 34, and preferably the main body manner as shown in Figure l. Thereupon the various panels are folded, illustratively as above described and as shown in Figure 3, to bring the upper" edges thereof substantially along a straight line, the operator performing these folding operations manually. Then the device 28, as viewed in Figure 3, is swung over toward the observer throughout substantially about the fold or crease line 38 which marks off the flap 21 from the panel 2|, bringing the parts into the relationship better shown in Figures 4 and 5.

As is better shown in Figure 5, the resultant fold along the crease line 38 is brought snugly over against and on top of the upper edges of the panels 22, 23, 24, 25 and 28, the edges of the latter being alined, as above noted, along a straight line. At the same time the lower edge of the gasket 3|, when the latter is employed ,as viewed in Figure 3, is distributed along and about these alined upper edges and virtually press snugly into sealing engagement therewith, the gasket member 2| being, as above noted, of appropriate or suitable yieldable material. In effect the gasket 3| becomes interposed between these alined upper edges and the under side of of the device 28, such 7 drawings; the dipping or applipanel 22 or is magnitude but, nevertheless,

achieved because it is possible to Operate the sharply defined, acts to bite into the face of the easily pressed into, the paper of that panel, obtaining a good grip thereon to resist upward movement of the device 23' with the flap 21. This relatively sharp edge or shoulder thus facilitates drawing the fold between the panel 2| and the flap. 21 snugly over and downwardly upon the upper 'edges'of the folded panels, as will be clear from a conslderaholding the parts in the above-described relationship may with a suitable finger or fingers bend the several tongues successively over the straight-line folded upper end of the container, the individual tongues readily lending themselves to such manual operation or bending.

Preferably, tongues 35 and 36 are first bent each about a vertical axis, as viewed in Figure 4,

throughout substantially 180 to clamp the respective end portions of the folded container top between them and the main body portion of the device 23', as is best shown in Figure 6,

, whereupon tongues 32, 33 and 34 are successively bent throughout substantially 180? about a horizontal'axis into the relationship shown in'Figure 6, tongues 32 and 34 preferably overlapping and reinforcing the clamping action of the lateral tongues 35, 36. This composite clamping action at the two ends of the folded top of the container is also well illustrated in Figure 9 which is a vertical sectional view along the line 3-4 of Figure 6. This composite clamping action at the two ends may in practice be very substantial in is easily manually two tongues successively, each being easily manipulated. Furthermore, and as illustrated in Figure 3, it is frequently the case that the folding of a container into closing position is accompanied by the present, at the respective ends of the folded top, of a number of folds and a number of thicknesses of paper; in the illustrative embodiment there are at each end two folds and four thicknesses of the material of the container. These are dependably clamped together in the almost completely boxed-in corner formed by the metal at each end of the device 23, as clearly appears from Figures 6 and 7.

The remaining tongue 33, where three vertical tongues are employed, as in the illustrative embodiment, is thus effective to bring about a dependable clamping together along the central region of the folded top of the container where frequently only two thicknesses of material are present, as is the case with the illustrative container construction of Figures 3, 6, 7 and 8. g In Figure 8 these two thicknesses in the center are shown and in bringing the tongue 33 into clamping relationship, the operator is enabled dependably to effect a sealing at this region'even though at other regions, as at the two ends, a greater number of layers or thicknesses of material may be present. Also, and preferably, the tongue 33, when broughtinto the position shown in Figures 6 and 7, is of a downward extent greater than that of the main body portion 23 of the device 23. Thereby the lower end ,of the tongue 33 may be pressed inwardly and upwardly to force the central upper portion of the panel it against the panel 22 and in eil'ectto compressfis forth, it is to be understood that all matter her-e ,885 a 3 and squeeze these two portions between itself and the lower of the mainbody portion 29, as is best shown in Figure8. This latter clamping action 'mayalso be made substantial in magnitude and effect, and for this purpose the securing flange 30 and the main body portion 29, because of their -U-shape, atl'ord or present substantial rigidity against which the parts may be pressed -or clamped.

tion of Figures 4 and 5, and thus also a dependm able compression of the gasket. 3| may be 3|,when employedm'ill alsobeseentobe clamped achieved. 7 t and forced into sealing position or relationship With the parts in this relationship the various to the other parts. This is particularlyadvantongues of the member 23 stand as shown in tageousin such retail trade or business as was Figure 4 whereupon the operator, while still 15 above mentioned where a perfect seal may not The purchaser may easily open the container by succesively operating the clamping tongues in reverse direction, or only such of them as might I needed to free one end of the folded panels so be as to permit the panels 23 and 24 (Figure 3, for example) to be unfolded and folded outwardly or to the left to form'a pouring spout.

If the covering or coating C is employed, these operations may be erformed without any-danger of cutting the fingers of the hand. The purchaser or householder may easily restore the various clamping tongues to the relationship above described and as shown, for example, in Figures 6 and 7.

In Figure 10 I have shown the closure-retaining device 23 in somewhat modified form, particularly for reasons later described, and here the device 23, in another respects the samev as described above, is so constructed-that the end or lateral clamping tongues 35, 36 need not coact directly with vertical tongues, the latter being spaced inwardly therefrom and illustratively comprising two tongues 4| and 4 2. The closureretaining device of Figure 10 may' be employed where a lesser security ofclosure and scaling is satisfactory.

By forming two closure-retaining devices in the respective'forms above described, it is possible to stamp them out mum wastage and in Figure 11 is indicated at 43 a strip of sheet metal of suitable width and the full lines appearing thereon indicate th lines 1 along which the punch 33, may be a substanclosure-rtaining device in which the various ob' .iects hereinbefore set forth, thoroughly practical advantages, achieved. The construction will be seen to be inexpensive, capable of ease and inexpensiveness together with many of assembly to the container itself and charac- 'terized by great ease and f cility' of manipulation in practical use.

'As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set In these various clamping actions, the gasket c be necessary or achieved but because of the vof sheet metal with mini- Thus, any one-section, such as are successfully inbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrativ and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In container construction, the combination with a container made of paper, or the like, and having an otherwise open end portion capable of being folded to bring the edges thereof together in several thicknesses and to aline them substantially along a straight line to close off said container. said end portion having flap-like means projecting upwardly from said alined edges, said flap-like means having a plurality of bendable tongue-like members secured thereto,

including two end tongue members that project laterally beyond said alined edges and tongue means intermediate thereof projecting upwardly beyond said flap-like means, said flap-like means being foldable over the line of said alined edges and throughout substantially 180 whereby said end tongue members may be bent laterally around the said several thicknesses to 'holdthem against opening and said intermediate tongue means bent over the line of said alined edges to clamp them together. a

2. In container construction, the combination with a container made of paper, or the like, and having an end portion capable of being folded to bring the edges thereof substantially along a straight line to close off said container, said end portion having flap-like means projecting upwardly from said alined edges, and closure-retaining means of sheet metal comprising a main body portion extending along and secured to said flap-like means and having projecting laterally therefrom and beyond said alined edges an end tongue member and having projecting therefrom in a downward direction from the top edge of said tongue-like means a plurality of tongue members, said flap-like means being foldable over the alined edges of said container portion thereby to bring said second-mentioned tongue means projecting upwardly, said laterally projecting tongue means being bendable laterally around said alined edges to clamp the composite fold at that end and said now upwardly projecting tongue means being bendable downwardly and to that side of said composite fold remote from said flap means thereby to clamp the composite fold.

3. In container construction, the combination with a container made of paper, or the like, having opposed side walls and opposed end walls, the latter being foldable as the upper edges of said side walls are brought together along substantially a straight line and when so folded lying alongside said brought-together sid walls, of clamping means to hold the upper ends of said walls against separation comprising a sheetmetal member extending externally along the upper edge of one of said side walls and secured thereto and having a plurality of bendable tongues, at least one of which extends laterally from said member and another of which projects downwardly from said member, the upper portion of said side wall that has said member secured thereto being foldable throughout substantially 180 and upon such folding bringing said'downwardly projecting tongue into upwardly projecting position whereupon said tongue may be bent about a substantially horizontal axis to clamp between it and said member the intervening wall thicknesses of said container, said first-mentioned laterally extending tongue being bendable about a substantially vertical axis to clamp between it and said member the intervening wall thicknesses.

4. In container construction, the combination with a container made of paper, or the like, having opposed side walls and opposed end walls, the latter being foldable as the upper edges of said side walls are brought together along substantially a straight line and when so folded lying alongside said brought-together side walls, of clamping means to hold the upper ends of said walls against separation comprising a sheet metal member extending along the upper end of one of said side walls and secured thereto and having a plurality of tongu members, two of which project laterally beyond the folded ends of said walls and another of which normally projects downwardly from said member, the portion of said side wall that has said member secured thereto being foldable throughout substantially and when so folded bringing said member into a position such that said last-mentioned tongue member projects upwardly from which position it is bendable about a horizontal axis to clamp between it and said sheet metal member the intervening wall thicknesses of the container, said two laterally projecting tongue members being bendable about substantially vertical axes around the folded ends of said container walls.

5. A construction as claimed in claim 4 in which there are provided two of said secondmentioned tongue members respectively adjacent the ends of said sheet metal member and these are respectively bendable into substantially the same plane of clamping as said end tongue members, one overlapping the other.

6. In container construction, the combination with a container made of paper, or the like, having opposed side walls and opposed end walls, the latter being foldable as the upper edges of said side walls are brought together along substantially a straight line and when so folded lying alongside said brought-together side walls, one of said. side walls having an upwardly projecting flap capable of being folded over the top edges of the remaining folded parts of the container and against the face of the opposed side wall, said flap carrying and having secured thereto a plurality of bendable sheet metal parts certain of which project laterally from said flap and others of which project downwardly from the upper edge of said flap when the latter is in unfolded position, said lateral parts being bendable about a substantially vertical axis when saidflap is folded over said opposed side wall and bendable toward the outer face of said flap-bearing side wall and others of said bendable parts being bendable about a substantially horizontal axis over and toward the outer face of said flapbearing side wall.

7. In container construction, the combination with a container made of paper, or the like, having opposed side walls and opposed end walls, the latter being foldable as the upper edges of said side walls are brought together along substantially a straight line and when so folded lying alongside said brought-together side walls, one of said side walls having an upwardly projecting flap capable of being folded over the top edges of the remaining folded parts of the container and against the face of the opposed side wall, means forming a gasket carried on the inner face of said flap and brought, when the latter is folded over, against the edges of the remaining closureforming folded walls, and means for holding said flap against unfolding.

8. In container construction, the combination with'a container'made of paper, or the like, having opposed side walls and opposed'end walls, the latter being foldable as the upper edges of said side walls are brought together along substantially a straight line and when so foldedlying alongside said brought-together side walls, one of said side walls having an upwardly projecting flap capable of being folded over the top edges of the remaining folded parts of the container and against the face of the opposed side wall, means forming a gasket carried on the inner face of saidflap and brought, when the latter is folded over, against the edges of the remaining closure-forming folded walls, sheet metal closure-retaining means comprising a main body portion resting against the outer face of said flap and having means for securing it and said gasket means to said flap,

said main body portion having bendable means bendable after said flap is folded over the closed end of the container to clamp the latter and said gasket and flap between it and said main body portion.

9. In container construction, the combination with a container made of paper, or the like, having opposed side walls and opposed end walls, the latterbeing foldable as the upper edges of said side walls are brought togetheralong substantially a straight line and'when so folded lying alongside said brought-together side-walls, one of said side walls having an upwardly projecting flap capable of being folded over the top edges of the remaining folded parts of the container and against the face of the opposed side wall, means formin a gasket carried on the inner face of said flap and brought, when the latter is folded over, against the edges of the remaining closureforming folded walls, said gasket being sheet-like in form, and closure-retaining means of bendable sheet material having means for securing it and over the top edges of the remaining folded parts of the container and against the face of the said gasket-forming means to said flap and having parts deformable into position to hold said flap against unfolding and thereby to retain said gasket-forming means in position.

10. In container construction, the combination with a container made of paper, or the like, having opposed side walls and opposed end walls, the latter being foldable as the upper edges of said side walls are brought together along substantially a straight line and when so folded lying alongside said brought-together side walls, one of said side walls having an upwardly projecting flap capable of being folded over the top edges of the remaining folded parts of the container and against the face of the opposed side wall, means forming a gasket carried on the inner face of said flap and brought, when the latter is folded over, against the edges of the remaining closureforming folded walls, and sheet metal closure-- retaining means comprising a main body portion resting against the outer face of said flap and having a flange bent about the end of said flap, said flange clamping between itself and said main body portion both said flap and said gasketforming means, said main body portion having extension means capable of being bent after said flap is folded over, to clamp the folded upper portions of said container and said gasket between itself and said main body portion.

11. In container construction, the combination with a container made of paper, or the like, having opposed side wall's -and opposed end walls, the latter being foldable as the upper opposed side wall, means forming a gasket carried on the inner face of said flap and brought, when the latter is folded over, against the edges of the remaining closure-forming folded walls, and sheet metal closure-retaining means comprising a main body portion resting against the outer face of said flap and having a flange bent about the end of said flap, said flange clamping between itself and said main body portion both said flap, and said gasket-forming means, said 'main body portion having a plurality of tongues projecting upwardly therefrom when said flap is folded over, each capable of being bent over the folded flap to hold the latter and the parts underneath it against separation,

12. In container construction, the combination with a container made of paper, or the like, having opposed side walls and opposed end walls, the latter being foldable as the upper edges of said side walls are brought together along substantially a straight line and when so folded lying alongside said brought-together side walls, one of said side walls having an upwardly projecting flap capable of being folded over the top edges of the remaining folded parts of the container and against the face of the opposed side wall, means forming a gasket carried on the inner face of said flap and brought, when the latter is folded over, against the edges of the remaining closure-forming folded walls, and sheet metal closure-retaining means comprising a main body portion resting against the outer face of said flap and having a flange bent about the end of said flap, said flange clamping between itself and said main body portion both said flap and said gasket-fanning. means, said main body portion having a plurality of tongues,

certain of which project upwardly from said main body portion when said flap is in folded position, each capable of being bent over the folded flap to hold the latter and the parts underneath it against separation, and including two end flaps" projecting laterally at the ends of said main body portion and capable of being bent about the, end edges of the folded closed end of the container to clamp the intervening Parts of the latter between it and said main body portion.

13. A container having an otherwise, open end whose walls are foldable to effect closure, said foldable walls comprising two opposed walls one I 'of which has a flap extension beyond the edge of the other, gasket means along the inner face of said flap extension and of a depth greater than that of the latter, and bendable sheet means clamping said gasket means to said flap extension and engaging said gasket means only throughout the upper region thereof, whereby said flap extension when folded over said opposed'edge lays said gasket means against the latter, said bendable sheet means having por tions bendable to clamp between it and said portions intervening folded wall portions of said container.

14. A container-closure-retaining device made of sheet metal comprising a main body portion having tongue-like extensions along one longitudinal edge and tongue-like extensions at its respective ends, said device having along one face thereof sheet-like gasket means and having along its otherlongitudinal edge an attaching clamping flange for clamping said gasket means and the container material to which it is to be attached, said attaching flange being of less expanse than said gasket means in order to leave a portion of the latter exposed.

15. A closure-retaining andsealing means for a container having an otherwise-open end but whose walls are foldable, substantially along a straight line, to effect a closure of said open end, and including two opposed walls one of which has an upward, flap-like extension beyond the edge of the other andwhich extension is folded over said edge, comprising sheet-dike gasket means interposed between said edge of said one wall and the folded flap-extension oi the other, and means secured to said flap extension and holding said gasket means thereto and having a plurality of sheet metal tongues bendable over the top of said straight line closure to clamp the 'parts 01' the latter against separation, and end tongues bendable about the lateral edges of said closure and respectively engageable under those two of said bendable sheet metal tOng es that are adjacent the lateral edges of said closure thereby-also to'retain said gasket means in sealing position relative to said edge of said one wall and said folded flap extension of the other. i a

16.2In container construction, the combination with a container made of paper'or' the like having an end portion providing anormally open month; said end portion ;being;.fo'ldable to close said mouth and when folded presenting parts brought together, gasket means extending along said brought-together and means holding said gasket means in sealing relationship' to said brought-together parts and exerting a clamping action upon said folded upper portion of said container to hold said rought-together parts against separation.

OSCAR W. WENTZ. 

